Stimuli-responsive polymers, which, by definition, have the capability to respond to external or internal stimuli, have drawn attention due to their potential applications in a variety of areas such as drug delivery, tissue engineering and sensors. Stimuli-responsive polymers can be classified into different categories according to their response to pH, temperature, redox-potential, light, etc. Salt-responsive polymers are usually ionic polymers containing charged groups. They can exhibit varied solubility in aqueous solutions depending on the salt concentration.
Salt-responsive copolymers have applications in personal hygiene products such as wet tissues, which usually include a coherent fibrous web and a binder composition. Salt-responsive ionic polymers are considered to be appropriate as binder compositions. The fundamental design is generally as follows: in the wet state with higher salt concentration, the ionic charges of polymers are screened by salts and consequently the polymer chains are insoluble in water, therefore holding the fibrous web together to provide strength. On the other hand, due to electrostatic repulsions, these polymers become soluble in water with a lower salt concentration, and thus can be flushed away. The addition of degradability into these compositions would make them environmentally friendly. Acrylic polymers are widely used as binder compositions. However, most acrylic polymers are not degradable.
The present invention may address previous shortcomings in the art by providing degradable polymers and methods of making and using the same.